This is Infertility

Infertility in the Military: IVF in the Field

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Episode notes

November 11th is Veteran’s Day, and in honor of this, we are rolling out three episodes to spread light on an issue that is often overlooked, dealing with infertility in the military. We will hear from those who had their own personal battles with building a family, learn how different treatment can be, but also how similar some of those struggles and challenges are. In the second episode of our three-part series, we hear from Kerry Karwan, a retired Coast Guard Officer, and Ellen Haring, a retired Army Colonel and CEO of the Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN), a non-profit that supports, connects, and advocates for service women; past, present, and future. Kerry shares what it’s like to go through fertility treatment while on active duty. For her this meant on the road IVF injections, going to multiple clinics across the country, and going through all of this on her own. During her journey, she found SWAN, which connects women in the military to information, resources, and legal support. We learn how an organization like SWAN are fighting for better policies and healthcare. Guests: Kerry Karwan, retired U.S. Coast Guard and member of Service Women’s Action Network, and Ellen Haring, CEO of Service Women’s Action Network. Host: Dan Bulger, Producer at Progyny. For more information visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Service Women’s Action Network. If you want to learn more about the report discussed in this episode, you can find it here: Access to Reproductive Health Care: The Experiences of Military Women Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at [email protected]